Danielle George, general manager of HR at Spark, said: “We’ve looked at what other [organisations] have done or are doing, but decided our best approach was to talk to our own people, listen to them and figure out what works best for them; and the [organisation]. As one of the largest technology employers in New Zealand, we believe it’s vitally important that our people are paid at a level that recognises the complexity of our industry, yet is at a level for us to remain competitive.

“We want to do the right thing for our people and to attract the best people to a career in Spark: if that sets a standard that encourages others to follow, that’s got to be a good thing for New Zealand. We’ve tried to come up with innovative ways of rewarding, recognising and compensating our people.

“We have revised our entire value proposition, exploring how we can best deliver base pay and meaningful benefits, all designed to meet the needs of a very diverse workforce.”